[kentishrev]

I have a K-30 I am very happy with, and a GR that I keep in my pocket at all times. The GR took some getting used to, but now enjoy taking pictures with it - and the image quality is fantastic. I love the K-30, and have acquired a good set of S/H lenses to keep me busy.

For me, the gap is a travel camera that is more versatile than the fixed-lens GR. I've been looking at the Q7 with the 02 and 06 lenses (cheaper than the QS-1 and, according to everything I've read, the same internals as the Q7). I can see this would be a far more lightweight camera kit for travel, and not as restrictive as the GR wide-angle. Reviews for the Q7 are very variable, and I cannot tell if the image quality, or anything else, is significantly worse than a DSLR (the K-30), or just if you are a pixel-peeper.

Has anyone gone from a DSLR to the Q7? And what was the biggest disappointment (if any)?

[vonBaloney]

I have a newly acquired Q7, but have barely used it so far. But I have had a Q for quite a while. The biggest limitation for me is the noise (and the dynamic range to some extent, but it isn't bad) -- you have to keep the ISO down more than with the bigger sensor. If you do, I have no problems with the image quality. I expect the Q7 to be at least a minor step-up from the Q in both categories (noise and overall IQ)...

[Nick Siebers]

The Q7 is a big step up from the original Q, but still a step down from a DSLR in terms of ISO performance and noise. For family travel it works very well. It is so light and portable! The 01 is a better lens than the 02, but the 06 is nice to have as well. I took just my Q7 on a family trip to NYC and I didn't miss my DSLRs once. (I was surprised at that.) But I wasn't printing posters after or anything.

As a point of reference the Q7 blew away my iPhone pictures. (5s)

[pacerr]

Unless you don't want, or have need of, the capabilities of a DSLR you shouldn't think of the Qx-family as a replacement for the DSLR; rather, think of it as a compliment to the larger body. You'll have it with you when the K-bodies would be left at home.


The quality of the Q's sensor combined with any or all of the 01, 02, 06, 08 lenses as needed is more than adequate for personal use. The Q body and 02 + 06 lenses provide a travel kit that covers a FF equivalent range of 17 - 200mm. That more than duplicates the 1/2-frame Oly Pen-F kit I carried in the late '60's when the Spotmatic kit was too cumbersome.Depending on your needs consider the MX-1 also.


My Q and Q7 will never be a disappointment because they suit the purpose for which I acquired them very well.

[Pioneer]

If I am using digital I shoot the Q and Q7 for just about everything now days. If I still get a yearning for a dSLR (rarer and rarer) I use the K10D.

For me the jump in sensor size with the Q7 was just the ticket. The dynamic range is good and the ISO is pretty good up to 800. After that I end up using my Noise Reduction software a little more than I like. The reality is, with Shake Reduction, I can treat ISO 800 much like ISO 3200 if I am careful.

The only thing I wish I had was an optical finder that would display focus points and exposure info when plugged in to the hot shoe. Oh, a true macro lens and a couple nice telephotos would also be appreciated.

To be honest, the more I work with this camera, and practice processing the files, the more I realize how amazing and capable it really is.

[pickone]

Actually the Q is so light you can use both comfortably, I like the Q with a 02 for more wide angle and a DLSR with a long zoom. The Q has good built in filters. I don't have a Q7.

[hnikesch]

I use my Q7 for a travel camera with the 02, 03 and 06 lenses, I also have a K30 with several lenses. I am quite happy with the results of the Q7 for travel, see link below

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/136-pentax-q/172196-lets-share-shots-q-281.html#post2990389

[jva59]

To my way of thinking, the only limitation that I really notice is the lack of an eye level VF.

[tvdtvdtvd]

The Q is wonderful in concept and design. I love it for what it is and have no expectations that
it will compete with a DSLR with larger sensor. Any noise captured by the Q, (relative to M4/3,
APSC, etc), is simply an artifact of its format and I accept it for that.

But I do find the lack of a view finder, OVF, EVF or otherwise, to greatly limit my enjoyment and
usage. Even with focus peaking, I find it difficult to near impossible to manually focus the Q in
bright light. This limits the Q's usefulness and potential fun to native Q-mount AF lenses under
bright conditions, and relegates the true power of the Q, ie adapted lenses, to overcast days, night
or indoor shooting.

[SteveNunez]

I too find the lack of a EVF a hindrance- that's why I purchased this for the Q:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GD6XFGQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[reh321]

I too find the lack of a EVF a hindrance- that's why I purchased this for the Q:
Amazon.com : Xit XTLCDMVL Professional Locking LCD Viewfinder with 3.4X Magnification (Black) : Camera And Camcorder Viewfinders : Camera & Photo

I bought a similar device via eBay, but I had to modify it to fit my Q7, because the Q7's LCD is off-center.
The description of this is a tad unclear; are you saying that it will work with the Q-family without any modification??

[tvdtvdtvd]

I too find the lack of a EVF a hindrance- that's why I purchased this for the Q:
Amazon.com : Xit XTLCDMVL Professional Locking LCD Viewfinder with 3.4X Magnification (Black) : Camera And Camcorder Viewfinders : Camera & Photo

Thanks for the link. For $28 it's certainly worth a try, though it looks absolutely massive.

[6BQ5]

Actually the Q is so light you can use both comfortably, I like the Q with a 02 for more wide angle and a DLSR with a long zoom. The Q has good built in filters. I don't have a Q7.

I'd go the other way around. Use the DSLR for wide angle shots and keep an 06 mounted on the Q. That telephoto lens is tiny. This is what I may end up trying when my Q7 kit arrives soon.

[CWRailman]

I have a K-30 I am very happy with, and a GR that I keep in my pocket at all times. The GR took some getting used to, but now enjoy taking pictures with it - and the image quality is fantastic. I love the K-30, and have acquired a good set of S/H lenses to keep me busy.

For me, the gap is a travel camera that is more versatile than the fixed-lens GR. I've been looking at the Q7 with the 02 and 06 lenses (cheaper than the QS-1 and, according to everything I've read, the same internals as the Q7). I can see this would be a far more lightweight camera kit for travel, and not as restrictive as the GR wide-angle. Reviews for the Q7 are very variable, and I cannot tell if the image quality, or anything else, is significantly worse than a DSLR (the K-30), or just if you are a pixel-peeper.

Has anyone gone from a DSLR to the Q7? And what was the biggest disappointment (if any)?

Not to be facetious here but have you seen Blunty’s review of the Q or the Q7.
The original Q review:

You Tube

You Tube

Review of the Q7:

You Tube

You Tube

Review of the 06 lens for the Q series:

You Tube

You Tube

Review of the 08 lens for the Q series:

You Tube

You Tube

These reviews, from someone who does reviews of various camera’s, offer some insight to the benefits and limitations of using a Q series camera for most applications. He does not address some uses such as extreme telephoto or macro. I think he mentions several times that the Q series should not be considered as a replacement for a full size DSLR. You might think of the Q series as adding another tool to your tool box of photographic equipment.

Personally speaking no matter how good they are reported to be, I have never been fond of fixed lens camera’s as I have too often seen the lens crap out which renders the camera useless. In addition most of them have some sort of clam shell lens cover which does not allow for use of filters. Based on personal experience of having things hit and break the filter, I never leave the house without having a filter screwed onto the lens.

[SteveNunez]

My biggest gripe is the rather mediocre LCD, which we need to manually focus adapted lenses.....and when used with LCD magnifiers the poor LCD quality becomes apparent making manual ficus difficult......obviously the lack of an eye viewfinder is really tough.